The bee's knees

Buzzworthy Austin teen's lemonade brand beelines into Target stores

This local lemonade brand is buzzing into Target stores nationwide.

Courtesy of Me & the Bees

The queen bee of Austin’s favorite lemonade brand has just landed a deal with a major retailer that’s as sweet as honey.

Me & the Bees — the certified minority-owned lemonade company founded by Austinite Mikaila Ulmer when she was just 4 years old as a way to help save the bee population — will now be available in more than 800 Target food cafes across the nation.

The refrigerated lemonades will be available at Target stores in three all-natural flavors: classic lemonade (the brand’s original flavor, which was based on Ulmer’s great-grandmother’s recipe); prickly pear; and ginger. Each 12-ounce bottle is shelf-stable and contains no preservatives or additives, no high-fructose corn syrup, and less sugar than most similar lemonade options, the company says.

The deal, which puts Ulmer’s lemonade in all 50 U.S. states, is part of her 12-year-old company’s plan to expand across a variety of outlets, from retailers to restaurants and online sellers, according to a release.

While Me & the Bees can further expand its reach into the $12 billion global lemonade market with the Target deal, Ulmer is still focused on her company’s mission of saving the bees and educating consumers about the importance and decline of the bee population. As such, a percentage of Me & the Bees' profits are donated to the Healthy Hive Foundation, Ulmer’s nonprofit group, which works to increase awareness of and promote safe environments for bees through education, research, and preservation efforts. The buzzworthy phenom even published a book last year, “Bee Fearless: Dream Like a Kid” that outlines her rise from bee-sting sufferer to entrepreneurial success and advocate for the bees.

“Two of my dreams have come true today: One, offering our lemonades at one of my all-time favorite stores, Target, and two, reaching our goal of having our brand present in all 50 states,” Ulmer says. “As we enjoy warmer temperatures and the country continues to safely open, our lemonades are sure to quench the thirst of Target guests wanting a refreshing, all-natural beverage while running errands. Buy a bottle, save a bee!”

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Refill, revere, rejoice

Austin distiller refills Kentucky Bourbon bottles for $1 in UT gameday stunt

Photo courtesy of Still Austin Whiskey Co.

Still Austin is filling up empty Kentucky Bourbon bottles and adding its own label in a display of Texas dominance.

Cheap bourbon isn't usually something people line up for, but in this case they know it's good. Still Austin Whiskey Co., a favorite Austin distiller, is offering $1 refills of its own Cask Strength Bourbon on empty Kentucky Bourbon bottles on November 23.

The promotion celebrates the Texas Longhorns vs. Kentucky Wildcats football match the same day. This is a highly anticipated game because the two teams have only been matched up once, back in 1951. Kentucky coach Mike Stoops reportedly also upped the ante by saying the Longhorns have "no weaknesses."

Essentially, this is a parallel challenge by Still Austin: Replace your Kentucky Bourbon with our Texas spirit and watch the Lone Star State win again.

"Why would I ever taint your bourbon with dried up Kentucky juice[?]" asked a (frankly, terrifying) customer on Instagram.

There is a misconception that bourbon has to be made in Kentucky. The Kentucky Distillers’ Association itself points out that, "According to the 1964 Congressional Resolution, in order to have “Bourbon” on the label it must be made in the United States of America and meet all other federal “standards of identity” for Bourbon."

Still Austin CEO and co-founder Chris Seals is setting the record straight with a little snark, inviting both fans and "skeptics" to stop by to take advantage of the deal.

“We’re deeply grateful to Kentucky for inventing the stuff, but after 200 years of the same old bourbon, people want something new,” said Seals in a press release.“The idea that great bourbon can only come from Kentucky is a myth based on decades of misinformation. We’re inviting everyone still holding onto this old guard notion to ‘Kentucky Fill Up’ to experience the difference for themselves.”

The product he's chosen to represent the brand, the Cask Strength Bourbon, is described as "a deeper more 'metal' version of our beloved straight bourbon." It's 116 proof (58 percent ABV) and has won double gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition twice, in 2022 and 2023.

Still Austin will only refill 500 bottles. Here are the rules: The bottles have to be 750 milliliters, clean, intact (with the original cap on hand), and they must have originally contained bourbon from a Kentucky Distillery. There are two time slots for refilling at 9 am and 11:30 am. Patrons can get tickets ahead of time at stillaustin.com.

In addition to the fill-ups, Still Austin will host a watch party starting at 2:30 pm. More Texas-Kentucky crossover will include Frozen Texas Julep cocktails, Texas fried chicken, and an armadillo derby race. There will also be exclusive merch and giveaways. Still Austin is the official corporate partner of Texas Athletics.

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Fans of Austin sports and Austin food and drinks can now score tickets to The Tailgate, CultureMap's all-out party devoted to everyone’s favorite way to get in the gameday spirit. The event, presented by Verizon, goes down from 6-9 pm December 12 at Distribution Hall. Find out more about it here.

whiskey university of texas longhorns